The New Deal, implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s, was significant in American history as it aimed to address the economic devastation of the Great Depression. Through a series of programs and reforms, the New Deal sought to provide relief to the unemployed, stimulate economic recovery, and reform the financial system to prevent future crises. Key initiatives included the establishment of the Social Security Administration, public works programs like the Works Progress Administration (WPA), and the regulation of the banking industry. The New Deal fundamentally reshaped the role of the federal government in economic and social welfare, establishing a social safety net that persists today.